Research Reveals How Women With Tattoos Might Be Misjudged

Body art might cause people to jump to conclusions.

Last year, a good friend of mine, radio host Mike Opelka, visited the 18th Annual Philadelphia “Tattoo Arts Convention,” which he writes about as spotlighting both skin art and “tattoo regret” — which he describes as a “real thing.”[i] As he circulated through the booths, he spoke with many people who described the pain involved in getting a tattoo, particularly in sensitive areas of the body, such as the chest. He also met people who described the desire for tattoo corrections, updates, and, yes, removal.

People remove tattoos for a variety of reasons. They are no longer with the high-school sweetheart whose name is plastered on their upper arm. They are tired of trying to cover up images they thought were cool 20 years ago. Or, they have simply decided the body art no longer fits their image, lifestyle, or religious beliefs.[ii]

Yet what about those who choose to showcase their often elaborate, intricate body art to the world? How are tattoos viewed today? And is there a difference between the way we view tattoos on women versus men? Research has some answers.

Are Tattoos Still Taboo?

The public perception of tattoos has evolved over the years. No longer are they exclusively viewed as symbols of nonconformity, rebelliousness, or gang activity. Someone with a visible tattoo 30 years ago was perceived very differently than he or she would be today. Today, you might not think twice about the inked barista taking your coffee order, or the retail store clerk with a rose tattoo on her wrist helping you put together an outfit for a job interview.

Obviously, when viewing body art, there is a major difference in first impression on your assessment of a small butterfly on the ankle versus a skull-and-crossbones on the forehead. Yet assuming one has inked memorialization in moderation, tattoos today are often conversation starters. You might inquire about the meaning behind an artistic scene or a scriptural passage someone is displaying to the world.

Yet when it comes to gauging romantic receptivity, the intentions of women showcasing visible tattoos are subject to serious misinterpretation.

Perceptions of Promiscuity and Power

Both women and men run the risk of being unfairly judged by what they show the world, from clothing to hairstyle to tattoos. In some cases, women are judged differently than men.

Research indicates that tattoos may send the wrong signal when it comes to judging sexual receptivity. Research indicates that men may misperceive tattooed women as more sexually responsive. This leads to approach behavior, potentially with false hopes of sexual activity.

Research by Nicolas Guéguen (2013) found that a man will approach a woman with a tattoo over one without — and faster.[iii] The study examined the approach behavior of men to women lying on a well-known beach. The women were reading, lying flat on their stomachs, some with a tattoo prominently displayed on their lower backs, some without.

Men were more likely to approach the women with tattoos — not because they found the tattooed women to be more attractive, but because they believed the tattooed women would be more likely to have sex on the first date.

Previous research by Hawkes et al. (2004) indicated negative attitudes towards women with visible tattoos.[iv] This negative evaluation was held even by study participants who had tattoos themselves. Yet there were other significant personality predictions that appeared to depend on the body art (or lack thereof) of the evaluator: Tattooed men rated tattooed women as more powerful and active than tattoo-less counterparts. Women viewed tattooed women as more powerful and less passive than their clear-skinned counterparts, whether or not they had a tattoo themselves. In other words, women viewed other women with tattoos less positively, yet rated them as more powerful.

The Individual Beneath the Ink

The tendency of people to jump to conclusions based solely on appearance is a byproduct of any visible type of ornamentation, from body art, to clothing, to hairstyle, as well as many other observable characteristics.

As my friend learned at the Philadelphia convention, people seek tattoos (as well as their removal) for different reasons. When judging the character, and receptiveness, of individuals with tattoos, it is important to resist the temptation to rely on stereotypes or reflexive assumptions. Only when we know about the incentive behind the ink, and the desire for the design, can we discover the person behind the persona.

Many of my kids' friends, a couple of my nieces, and my youngest son have tattoos of various sizes and quality. While tattoos have become commonplace among the under-35 bunch, there are still some negative connotations, most noticeably in the arena of work. There is still a difference of perception of tattoos on men or women. A nice discreet butterfly or some initials with a flower on a young woman do not distract too much, although if visible, would project that she is not mainstream enough to be management material in the business world. A gaudy full sleeve and a head full of piercings would make the alternative music scene. I personally do not like tattoos on women. I inwardly cringe when waitstaff with a bunch of circus freak tattoos approach my table. It just doesn't seem to me to be very clean. If she cares that little about her body, about what other people think, or about convention, can I even be sure she is washing her hands before handling my food? I don't say anything, but I don't tip as well. It's just gross to me. Fashion is fine, but there are lines. There could come a day when (as the Far Side cartoon depicts) a man could show up buck naked to work on Casual Friday and no one would bat an eye. But we're not there yet. Dressing for work means dressing for respect.

The article talks of people making judgements based purely on visual appearance. That's not true though. The way someone appears is usually (but not always) down to their individual choices - so your judgement reflects your perception of their judgement. In the case of a tattoo someone has made a concious decision (I know that some people are pressured or even forced into having tattoos) to have one. They do this knowing that it's permanent, knowing that lots of people will dislike it (and many may like it too), and that it may affect their life chances in the future - and they go ahead anyway. Fine - that's up to them - but if I think that's stupid, then of course I'm going to think that they've acted stupidly - and by extension, would be likely to act stupidly in other situations. That's not discrimination - it's just logic. A tatto also gives an indication of taste as well - if someone chooses to decorate their body with a badly drawn cartoon of Mickey Mouse giving the finger, than I'm going to reach a conclusion about that - in just the same way if it was on their T-shirt. It may well be a negative conclusion - they know that before they have the tattoo.

The tendency of people to jump to conclusions based solely on appearance is a byproduct of any visible type of ornamentation, from body art, to clothing, to hairstyle, as well as many other observable characteristics.-funny thing is those indicators are usually right

My son has always been a very talented artist. He created beautiful tattoo art for me. So, instead of displaying his work on the wall/fridge/desk, I wear it proudly everyday. (My husband likes it, too.)